Govt working to strengthen democracy: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said her government is working relentlessly for further strengthening democracy and speeding up development in the country as Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland QC paid a courtesy call on her.

“We’re working tirelessly for strengthening democracy and accelerating development in the country,” Premier’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim quoted her as saying while briefing reporters after the meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Dhaka.

In this connection, the Commonwealth Secretary General said her organisation is ready to extend cooperation with Bangladesh in upholding its democratic process.

Sheikh Hasina said over 6,000 elections, including local government body polls and Jatiya Sangsad by-elections, were held in the last nine and half years.

“Those elections were staged in a free, fair and neutral manner,” she said.

While talking about terrorism, the premier said her government has successfully combated the social menace. “We’ve built a social movement against terrorism by involving the people of all strata …we don’t allow our children to be indulged in terrorism,” she said.

On the Rohingya issue, Sheikh Hasina said: “We’re having discussion with Myanmar to resolve the Rohingya crisis.”